TRUNK LINES COMPARED.

Compared by Mileage.—At present there are twenty-four corporations reporting over one thousand miles of line each. A comparison of these roads by mileage is profitless, as it furnishes no just clew to their importance in point of business transacted. Several of the shorter of these twenty-four lines largely exceed some of the longer ones in the volume of business transacted. As an example of the little value of comparison by mileage, the New York Central & Hudson River Road, with but 1,421 miles of line, reports $63,132,920 receipts, while the Union Pacific, with 6,288 miles, reports but $19,898,817. Two of the twenty-four roads, viz., the Southern Pacific Railroad (5,931 miles) and the Richmond, West Point & Terminal Railroad (6,869 miles) report neither gross or net earnings. The remaining twenty-two report both, and these reports furnish a satisfactory basis for study.

Railway Mileage of the United States.Compared with Area, 1888.

Explanatory.—The horizontal black lines below interpret the right-hand column of figures, and therefore picture the annual total mileage of railways operated.—The color below interprets the left-hand column, and therefore pictures the fluctuations in the number of miles built annually.

The Key explains the shades on the map. The lightest shade indicates an average of less than one-fiftieth of a mile of railway for each square mile of land. The second shade, from one-fiftieth to one-twentieth of a mile of railway, for each square mile of land, etc.

KEY TO SHADES ON THE MAP.

Less than	¹/₅₀ m. to 1 sq. m.	1
¹/₅₀ m. —	¹/₂₀ m. " " " "	2
¹/₂₀ m. —	¹/₁₅ m. " " " "	3
¹/₁₅ m. —	¹/₈ m. " " " "	4
¹/₈ m. and	over, per " "	5

Total and Increase.

Years	Miles.
Years	Built	Operated
1830	—	23
1831	72	95
1832	134	229
1833	151	380
1834	253	633
1835	465	1,098
1836	175	1,273
1837	224	1,497
1838	416	1,913
1839	389	2,302
1840	516	2,818
1841	717	3,535
1842	491	4,026
1843	159	4,185
1844	192	4,377
1845	256	4,633
1846	297	4,930
1847	668	5,598
1848	398	5,996
1849	1,369	7,365
1850	1,656	9,021
1851	1,961	10,982
1852	1,926	12,908
1853	2,452	15,360
1854	1,360	16,720
1855	1,654	18,374
1856	3,642	22,016
1857	2,487	24,503
1858	2,465	26,963
1859	1,821	28,789
1860	1,846	30,635
1861	651	31,286
1862	834	32,120
1863	1,050	33,170
1864	738	33,908
1865	1,177	35,085
1866	1,716	36,801
1867	2,249	39,250
1868	2,979	42,229
1869	4,615	46,844
1870	6,070	52,914
1871	7,379	60,293
1872	5,878	66,171
1873	4,097	70,268
1874	2,117	72,385
1875	1,711	74,096
1876	2,712	76,808
1877	2,280	79,088
1878	2,679	81,767
1879	4,817	86,584
1880	6,712	93,296
1881	9,847	103,143
1882	11,569	114,712
1883	6,743	121,455
1884	3,924	125,379
1885	2,930	128,309
1886	8,100	136,409
1887	12,872	149,281
1888	6,801	156,082

Railways in the United States, 1830–1860.

(From Scribner's Statistical Atlas.)

Note.—These maps are reductions of larger maps referred to in the titles. This makes it possible to bring them within very convenient space for comparison, and compensates for any indistinctness of lettering in the maps.

The railways of 1830 are pointed out by red arrows. Those of the other maps are easily seen. The growth by decades is thus quickly located. In 1840, one continuous line stretched from New York to Washington, D. C. Another considerable line was that from Fredericksburg, Va., to Wilmington, N. C. In 1850, one could not go by direct railway from New York to either Albany or Boston. In 1860, several direct routes stretched from New York to far west of the Mississippi.

Note.—In 1860 there was also in California, a railway from Sacramento to Folsom City (22 miles).

Railways in the United States. 1870

(From Scribner's Statistical Atlas.)

Railway Mileage by States, 1870.


Rank	State	Miles

41	Dak.	65	»
40	R.I.	136	»
39	Colo.	157	»»
38	Oreg.	159	»»
37	Del.	197	»»
36	Ark.	256	»»»
35	Utah	257	»»»
34	W. Va.	387	»»»»	1,000 Miles
33	Fla.	446	»»»»
32	La.	450	»»»»
31	Wyo.	459	»»»»
30	Nev.	593	»»»»»
29	Vt.	614	»»»»»
28	*Md.	671	»»»»»»
27	Nebr.	705	»»»»»»»
26	Tex.	711	»»»»»»»		2,000
25	N.H.	736	»»»»»»»
24	Conn.	742	»»»»»»»
23	Me.	786	»»»»»»»			3,000
22	Cal.	925	»»»»»»»»
21	Miss.	990	»»»»»»»»
20	Ky.	1,017	»»»»»»»»
19	Minn.	1,092	»»»»»»»»	»
18	N.J.	1,125	»»»»»»»»	»			4,000
17	S.C.	1,139	»»»»»»»»	»
16	Ala.	1,157	»»»»»»»»	»»
15	N.C.	1,178	»»»»»»»»	»»
14	Mass.	1,480	»»»»»»»»	»»»				5,000
13	Va.	1,488	»»»»»»»»	»»»»
12	Tenn.	1,492	»»»»»»»»	»»»»
11	Kans.	1,501	»»»»»»»»	»»»»
10	Wis.	1,525	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»
9	Mich.	1,638	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
8	Ga.	1,845	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»
7	Mo.	2,000	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»
6	Iowa	2,683	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
5	Ind.	3,177	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»
4	Ohio	3,538	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»
3	N.Y.	3,924	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»
2	Pa.	4,658	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
1	Ill.	4,823	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»

* Includes District of Columbia.

In 1850 Chicago had one short road. In 1860 she had several main lines, reaching hundreds of miles.—east, west, north, and south. In 1850, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois were open fields. In 1860 they were crossed and recrossed many times A similar change had taken place in the south east. The 1860 map marks the condition at the breaking out of the Civil War.—In 1870 there does not appear to have been much change except in the north-west, and the completion of the first Pacific line, and yet there were 22,296 more miles than in 1860, nearly 700 miles more than the 1850–1860 growth, but being spread over a wider area it does not appear as clearly. A little careful study shows that many States had added considerably to their mileage.—The names in the maps are given mainly to mark terminal points.—While the map locates the mileage, the chart at the left accurately measures and compares it State by State.

Before turning to the 1880 map, let the eye go carefully over the 1870 lines, that the comparison may be the more properly made.

Railways in the United States. 1880

(From Scribner's Statistical Atlas.)

Railway Mileage by States, 1880.


Rank	State	Miles

47	Mont.	106	»
46	Ida.	206	»
45	R.I.	210	»
44	Del.	275	»»
43	Wash.	289	»»
42	I. T.	289	»»
41	Ariz.	349	»»
40	Oreg.	508	»»»
39	Wyo.	512	»»»
38	Fla.	518	»»»
37	La.	652	»»»»
36	W. Va.	691	»»»»
35	Nev.	739	»»»»
34	N.Mex.	758	»»»»
33	Utah	842	»»»»»
32	Ark.	859	»»»»»
31	Vt.	914	»»»»»
30	Conn.	923	»»»»»
29	Me.	1,005	»»»»»»
28	N.H.	1,015	»»»»»»	2,000 Miles
27	*Md.	1,040	»»»»»»
26	Miss.	1,127	»»»»»»
25	Dak.	1,225	»»»»»»
24	S.C.	1,427	»»»»»»»
23	N.C.	1,486	»»»»»»»
22	Ky.	1,530	»»»»»»»
21	Colo.	1,570	»»»»»»»
20	N.J.	1,684	»»»»»»»»
19	Tenn.	1,843	»»»»»»»»
18	Ala.	1,843	»»»»»»»»
17	Va.	1,893	»»»»»»»»»
16	Mass.	1,915	»»»»»»»»»		4,000
15	Nebr.	1,953	»»»»»»»»»
14	Cal.	2,195	»»»»»»»»»	»
13	Ga.	2,459	»»»»»»»»»	»»
12	Minn.	3,151	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
11	Wis.	3,155	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
10	Tex.	3,244	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»
9	Kans.	3,400	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
8	Mich.	3,938	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»		6,000
7	Mo.	3,965	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»
6	Ind.	4,373	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»		8,000
5	Iowa	5,400	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
4	Ohio	5,792	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»			10,000
3	N.Y.	5,991	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»
2	Pa.	6,191	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»
1	Ill.	7,851	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»

* Includes District of Columbia.

It is difficult to believe that so many roads could have been added in ten years. All the 1870 area north of the Ohio River seems crowded at nearly every point, and the network of advance westward, in the States of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, and Dakota, is equally surprising. The growth in Texas was also very large, and many new lines appear in other Southern States. The total increase of the ten years was over forty thousand miles (40,374).

It would not seem possible that this rate of building could be longer maintained, and yet the 1889 map shows a still greater growth. At the close of 1888 (only eight years), the increase was 62,785 miles.

Railways in the United States, 1889

(From the "Scribner-Black Atlas of the World.")

Railway Mileage by States,
Dec. 31, 1888.


R'k	States	Miles

48	D.C.	21	»
47	R.I.	214	»»
46	Del.	315	»»»
45	Ida.	868	»»»»
44	Wyo.	902	»»»»
43	Nev.	948	»»»»»
42	Vt.	959	»»»»»
41	I. T.	973	»»»»»
40	Conn.	1,006	»»»»»
39	N.H.	l,079	»»»»»
38	Ariz.	1,095	»»»»»
37	Utah	1,133	»»»»»»
38	Md.	1,162	»»»»»»
35	W. Va.	1,281	»»»»»»»	2,000 Miles
34	Wash.	1,319	»»»»»»»
33	Me.	1,321	»»»»»»»
32	N.Mex.	1,321	»»»»»»»
31	Oreg.	1,412	»»»»»»»
30	La.	1,505	»»»»»»»
29	Mont.	1,804	»»»»»»»»
28	N.J.	1,981	»»»»»»»»»
27	Ark.	2,046	»»»»»»»»»	»
26	Mass.	2,074	»»»»»»»»»	»
25	N.C.	2,084	»»»»»»»»»	»
24	Miss.	2,218	»»»»»»»»»	»»
23	Fla.	2,250	»»»»»»»»»	»»
22	Tenn.	2,488	»»»»»»»»»	»»»	4,000
21	N.C.	2,529	»»»»»»»»»	»»»
20	Ky.	2,585	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
19	Va.	2,931	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»
18	Ala.	2,986	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
17	Ga.	3,928	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»
16	Colo.	4,038	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»
15	Cal.	4,128	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»
14	Dak.	4,465	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»	6,000
13	Nebr.	4,980	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
12	Wis.	5,330	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
11	Minn.	5,375	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
10	Ind.	5,890	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»
9	Mo.	5,901	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»
8	Mich.	6,490	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»	8,000
7	N.Y.	7,598	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
6	Ohio	7,636	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»
5	Tex.	8,211	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»	10,000
4	Pa.	8,225	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»
3	Iowa	8,365	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»
2	Kans.	8,755	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
1	Ill.	9,901	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»

The figures in the two charts show that four States alone claim more than one-fourth of the growth (Kansas, 5,354; Texas, 4,967; Dakota, 8,240 and Nebraska, 3,207 miles; total, 16,768 miles.) Six other States (Iowa, Mich., Col., Minn., Wis., and Penn.) had each an increase of over 2,000 miles.—The charts give Illinois the longest line from 1870, but the position of Texas in the three charts seems to prophesy that Illinois must soon yield. In 1860, Ohio led; in 1850, New York, and in 1840, Pennsylvania.—The upper series of stars in the 1880 map locate the center of railway mileage. See [page 427], preceding.

Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul System, 1889.

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy System, 1889.

Chicago and Northwestern System, 1889.

Pennsylvania System, 1889.

Vanderbilt System, 1889.

Largest Receipts, 1888.

(See [page 437], following)


R.	Corporation	Receipts		$10M

15	Ill. Cent.	$13,660,245	»»»»»»	»»
14	Mich. Cent.	13,770,593	»»»»»»	»»	$20M
13	A. T. & St. F.	15,612.913	»»»»»»	»»»
12	N. Pacific	15,846,328	»»»»»»	»»»
11	L. & N.	17,122,026	»»»»»»	»»»»		$30M
10	L. S. & M. S.	18,029,627	»»»»»»	»»»»»
9	U. Pacif.	19,898,817	»»»»»»	»»»»»»
8	B. & O.	20,353,492	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»		$40M
7	C. B. & Q.	23,789,168	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»
6	C. M. & St. P.	24,867,730	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»
5	C. & N. W.	26,697,559	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»			$50M
4	N. Y. L. E. & W.	27,217,990	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»
3	N. Y. C. & H. R.	36,139,920	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»
2	Penn. W. of P.	37,894,370	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»
1	Penn. E. of P.	58,172,078	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»»	»»»»»

Largest Net Results, 1888.

(See [page 437], following)


R.	Corporation	Net %		10%	20%	30%

15	N. Y. C. & H. R.	31.85	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»
14	Penn. E. of P.	33.39	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»
13	D. & R. G.	33.43	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»
12	A. T. & St. F.	33.47	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»
11	N. Y. L. E. & W.	33.85	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
10	Ill. Cent.	34.41	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»
9	C. R. I. & P.	35.29	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»
8	E. T. V. & G.	36.06	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»
7	L. & N.	36.11	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»	40%
6	L. S. & M. S.	37.27	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»
5	C. & N. W.	37.56	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»
4	U. Pacif.	40.80	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»
3	N. Pacif.	41.52	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»
2	St. L. & San F.	41.88	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»
1	St. P. M. & M.	46.08	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»»»»	»»»»»»

AVERAGE CHARGE PER MILE FOR EACH TON OF FREIGHT HAULED.

TRUNK LINES. 1870—1889
Chicago and Northwestern
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Av. of 6 Lines West of Chicago
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Illinois Central
Chicago and Alton
Boston and Albany
Michigan Central
New York Central
Av. of 7 Lines East of Chicago
Pennsylvania
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
New York, Lake Erie and Western
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago

Explanatory.—The upper edge of the deep shade marks the fluctuations of the average rate charged by the seven lines east of Chicago.—The upper edge of the light shade marks the fluctuations of the average rate charged by the six lines west of Chicago.—Each particular road has a distinctive line, which makes it easy to trace it among other lines.—All Western lines are accompanied by lines of color, to distinguish them plainly from the Eastern lines, and to make their relation to their own average more easily discovered. The Boston and Albany is the only Eastern line whose rate places it near the Western lines, but the absence of color prevents it from being taken for a Western line, which it might otherwise be, especially during the last three years, in its journey through and above them all.—The C. B. & Q. Road makes no report later than 1879.—The Chicago and Alton report begins at 1874.

Explanatory.—The diagram upon which the rates are charted (like all such diagrams) is constructed of perpendicular and horizontal lines. Each line, and each space between lines, has a particular meaning. The perpendicular spaces represent years, indicated by the figures at the top of each space. The horizontal spaces represent money values, each space representing .2c (two mills). Each horizontal line represents a particular money value, marked by the figures at the end of the line. Each black dot represents the average annual rate of some particular road. For example, take the Boston and Albany Road. Starting with the name and following the tracing line, the 1870 dot is found just below the 2.2c (2 cents and 2 mills) line. This indicates that the average rate charged by that road in 1870 was a trifle less than 2.2c. Following the line leading from the 1870 dot into the 1871 space, the 1871 dot is found a little below the center of the space between the 2c line and the 2.2c line, indicating a rate of a little less than 2 cents and 1 mill for 1871. The next year it is lower still. In this way the history of any road is quickly traced.

Largest Receipts.—A comparison on the basis of gross receipts gives the best means of judging of the financial importance of the several roads, for it measures the volume of business done. On [page 435] is given such a comparison of the fifteen roads (of the twenty-two referred to above) reporting the largest gross receipts.

Largest Net Results.—While the gross receipts measure the volume of business they may not give any indication of net results. A chart, immediately under that comparing gross receipts, compares the net receipts of the fifteen roads (of the same twenty-two) which report the highest per centages.

Of the ten reporting largest net results, seven are west of Chicago. This fact, coupled with the desire of the great western systems to possess new territory in advance of others, suggests a reason for the large railway growth in that part of the country.